Brussels: The preparatory working group of the Employment and Social Policy Council of the European Union-EPSCO has addressed the issues of the European Social Fund Plus and aspects of improving well-being at work

• The Basque Country represents during this semester the autonomies of the state in these work meetings

Brussels, 2020 01 29

The preparatory working group of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council of the European Union (EPSCO Council), chaired by the delegation of Croatia, which holds the presidency of the EU Council in the first half of the year 2020.  This morning, it addressed the issues of the European Social Fund Plus and the Conclusions on the improvement of well-being at work in Brussels. The Basque Country represents during this semester the autonomies of the state in these work meetings.

At the meeting, the president of the group, Ivan Dvornik, reported on the progress in the technical trilogues on the European Social Fund Plus (ESF +) and indicated that, “in response to a suggestion from the European Parliament, an informational meeting has been organized by February 20 The meetings are on track. The Council and the Commission share objectives”. The European Commission, represented by the spokesperson for the Directorate General for Employment, Adriana Sukova, has reported, "for the political trilogue, Commissioner Nicolás Schmit will participate in the meeting."

On February 4 the group will analyze the communication on “A Strong Social Europe”. That issue will be addressed in the EPSCO Council on March 19-, the presentation of the work program of the European Commission on Employment and social issues for 2020; and Violence and harassment at work, within the ILO Convention. These issues are part of the Social and Inclusive Europe objective.

At the meeting on January 9, the priorities of the Croatian presidency presented on the 10th the conclusions on the improvement of well-being at work discussed, which would be analyzed in the EPSCO Council on March 19 with the presence of ministerial leaders.